Sneaking a uke into a bluegrass jam

Ukulele JJ

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So I went to the Full Moon Pickin' Party last night. It's an outdoor summer event that they put on around here, where everyone hangs out listening to a line-up of awesome bluegrass bands onstage. What makes it unique is that a lot of people bring their own instruments and wander off and form little impromptu jam circles.

Admission (which includes free beer!) is $20, but if you're a musician brining a "bluegrass instrument", it's only $5. And yes, they have an official list of what they consider to be "bluegrass" instruments. :wallbash: The ukulele is not on it, which I consider to be outright instrumentism! :mad:

So I took my Flea along, in its gig bag. When I got up to the gate, I just pointed at it over my shoulder. I technically didn't lie, per se. I just let them assume I had a mandolin or something in there. Worked like a charm.

We all listened to some great music, drank a few beers, and generally had a fine time. Late in the evening, the group I was with decided to find a spot and run through a few tunes. We had my uke, plus a banjo and three (count 'em, three!) fiddles. "Blackberry Blossom", "Ashokan Farewell", "City of New Orleans", etc.

We had a small crowd listening in, at one point a lady asked "is that a ukulele?" Turns out she was a recent uke-ist herself! I let her check out the Flea, told her about our local uke club, and of course filled her in on UU.

I consider the evening a small blow in the battle of ukulele emancipation. Fight the power!

JJ
 
You know I've been wondering if there was any difference between a blue grass banjo and a banjolele...maybe the string type?
:anyone:
 
lol thats pretty cool, I would've loved to be there and be like can we get some orange world up in this muff?
 
Bluegrass folks seem to come in two varieties: The old gaurd who believe if Bill (Monroe) did it, then we do too...if he didn't, then you better not. Very black and white: Guitars, fiddles, banjos and mandolins are bluegrass instruments...if it's not in that list, then it ain't and you better not play it here.

The other are the new-grassers where bluegrass is a place to start and anything goes including drums, amplification and funny instruments like ukes.

I've told the story here before about quoting some Charlie Parker in the middle of a bluegrass mandolin solo and some of the good old boys taking offense, and some of the younger fellers thinking it was way cool.

So, if you join in with the new-grassers, all is good...if it's the old guard, well...some of them ain't too friendly...and that's their problem.
 
Has anyone checked out Ken Middleton's bluegrass stuff? He's done some really great work
 
My grandfather (dad's dad) was a bluegrasser. He played fiddle and that is my memnory of him fiddle and bible. Whenever we got together we always talked God and fiddle. Just before he passed I went to visit him at hospice and I took my uke and bible. I remember him not wanting to hear the uke at first but then curiosity got him. I played one of my songs and he smiled at me and said "notbad. But it's not Bill Monroe." I just wished we could have played together.
 
So I took my Flea along, in its gig bag. When I got up to the gate, I just pointed at it over my shoulder. I technically didn't lie, per se. I just let them assume I had a mandolin or something in there. Worked like a charm.

This just rocks. Nice job! Strike a blow for ukulelists everywhere!
 
My family and I went to the beach a few weeks ago and the father of the family camping in the spot adjoining ours was a bluegrass player. He was one of those muscians who can pick up a stringed intsrument and after a few plays can pick out almost anything. well...
He had brought his guitar so we traded instruments, he had the uke and I the guitar and we played "hotel california" he totally rocked out dan felder's part on the uke, with a bluegrass flair. It was the coolest version ever.
nice job on fighting the "man"
 
I just checked the local Bluegrass club website. They have a list of instruments "Accepted," "Tolerated," and "Usually Not Tolerated." Ukes aren't on any of the list. I'm guessing it depends a lot on the person holding the uke.
 
I don't think uke lends itself to to fast bluegrass lead breaks in the hands of a normal person, and a lot of stuff I've seen people play on uke that they have called bluegrass has been closer to old time stuff. That said, a uke can chunk a very respectable substitute for a bluegrass mandolin "chop"

Bluegrass jams aren't usually as anal as serious Irish trad sessions. Take a uke to a real anorak ITM session and the nazis would have your skin to make uilean pipes bellows.

WTF. If it makes music, it's good in my book. :music: :shaka:
 
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